Controlling Optomechanical Libration with the Degree of Polarization

Control of the potential energy and free evolution lie at the heart of levitodynamics as key requirements for sensing, wave function expansion, and mechanical squeezing protocols. Here, we experimentally demonstrate versatile control over the optical potential governing the libration motion of a levitated anisotropic nanoparticle. This control is achieved by introducing the degree of polarization as a new tool for rotational levitodynamics. We demonstrate thermally driven free rotation of a levitated anisotropic scatterer around its short axis and we use the rotational degrees of freedom to probe the local spin of a strongly focused laser beam.

Automated summary

In this study, versatile control over the optical potential of a levitated anisotropic nanoparticle is achieved by introducing polarization as a new tool. This enables free rotation and probing of the local spin using the rotational degrees of freedom.